Lamp and reflector holder



1951 J. J. MASTERSON ET AL 2,539,746

LAMP AND REFLECTOR HOLDER Filed Jan. 20, 1947 JOSEPH J. M/ZSTEESON M/CHHEL THOMFIS INVENTORS HTTO/ZNEV Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES LAMP AND REFLECTOR HOLDER Joseph J. Masterson and Michael Thomas,

Los Angeles, Calif.

Application January 20, 1947, Serial No. 723,026

4 Claims. 1.

This invention relates to an improved lamp and reflector mounting construction of the type wherein an incandescent electric lamp or the like is mounted within a female screw-type socket or lamp base so that the lamp is positioned within. a curved reflector which is fixedly mounted with res set to the lamp and female socket by means of a lamp and reflector mount which generally is fixedly mounted upon a wall, ceiling, or the like by means of a threaded pipe adapted to threadedly engage the lamp mount. Such lamps, reflectors, and mounts are very frequently used to illuminate sporting events and the like conducted after nightfall, either out-ofdcors or within a building such as a gymnasium, sporting arena, or the like, such as night baseball, football, soccer, boxing, wrestling and various other sporting events where a high intensity of illumination should be maintained. Generally speaking, numerous such lamps and reflectors are necessary to properly illuminate such sporting events and the like.

At the present time the prior art lamp mounts used for the aforesaid purposes are generally quite difficult to install, since the electrical leads, connections and female socket are positioned within the lamp mount and are relatively inaccessible, making it necessary for an installation reflector.

Since such lamps and reflectors are generally mounted at a considerable height upon exteriorly threaded pipes or other suitable mounts, said prior art constructions are exceedingly inconvenient because they require expenditure of considerable amounts of time in an awkward, inaccessible position by the installation electrician upon a ladder or the like. Furthermore, many such prior art constructions do not properly seal in the electrical connections and protect same fromdust, moisture, and the like.

The lamp and reflector mount of this invention is adapted to be assembled and installed even in very awkward and inaccessible positions with a minimum of labor. Furthermore, the lamp and reflector mount of this invention is arranged to provide an effectively. sealed enclosure for the electrical connections protecting same from dust, moisture and the like. The lamp and reflector mount of this invention is of exceedingly simple, cheap, foolproof, rugged construction, easy to manufacture as well as assemble.

Generally speaking this invention comprises:

electrician to spend a considerableperiod of time installing each such lamp and (ill.

. threaded boss '1. H

housing I is provided as viewed in Fig. i, with a. hollow housing member open at one end and provided with interior supports; a tapered insert member adapted to be supported within the housing member by said supports, said insert member being arranged to carry an electric lamp base; and movable means adjacent the open end of the said housing member adapted to engage and hold the flange of a reflector in the proper position with respect to said housing.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved lamp and reflector mount so constructed as to be exceedingly simple to assemble and install.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved lamp and reflector mount of exceedingly simple, cheap, foolproof, rugged construction.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved lamp and reflector mount adapted to elfectively enclose the electrical connections and protect same from dust, moisture and the like.

Other and allied objects will become apparent from an examination and study of the illustrations, specification and appended claims. To facilitate understanding, reference will be had to the following drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section of the apparatus of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the plane II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view, partly broken away, taken along the plane III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary yiew taken along the plane IV--IV of Fig. 1.

More specifically, a tapered, conical, hollow housing member 5 is provided with a large, cylindrical opening, indicated generally at 2, at one end thereof. The opposite end of said housing is provided with an aperture 3 and an interiorly Theinterior surface of the three upright circumferentially spaced inwardly extending ribs 5, the inner surfaces of which are virtually vertical while the inner surface of the housing l is tapered or diverges away therefrom.

, 3 The outer edge of the under surface of the bottom 8 is provided with circumferentially spaced recesses 2| adapted to receive the shoulders 6 on the upper surfaces of the upstanding ribs so as to non-rotatably lock the insert member I with respect to the outer housing I.

The central aperture 9 in the bottom 8 of the insert member I is adapted to mount a standard, female, screw-type plug element or lamp base, indicated generally at I I, with a portion of said plug element above the bottom 8 of the insert member I and a portion of the plug element below the bottom 8 of the insert member I but within the lower portion of the housing I. The bottom 8 of the insert member I is provided with a downwardly projecting locking key I2 adapted to fit into a correspondingnotch orrecess I3 in the ceramic outer body portion of the plug element II for preventing relative rotation between the plug element I I and the insert member I.

Gircumferentially spaced screws I4 are mounted so as to pass transversely inwardly through the holes '22 in the'outer housing I and the holes '23- in the upstandingcircumferential walls It] of the insert member I mounted within the housing I, adjacent the open'end of the housing- I so as toreleasably engage and hold a flange I5 of a reflector-l6 fixedly with respect to the lamp mounting. This also locks the insert member I in position within the housing I.

The downwardly extending,- interiorly threaded boss 4 on the bottom-of the housing I, as shown in Fig. 1, is-adapted to threadedly engage an exteriorly-threaded; hollow supporting pipe, indicated generally at II,which may be of vertical, transverse, angular, offset, or any other desired typeof construction. Lead-in cable I8 is adapted to'pass through the hollow pipe I! and through the aperture 3-in the bottom of the housing I with the wires connected to the terminals I9 and 20 of the lamp base or socket I I.

"The operation of the apparatus may be described'as-follows. -Assembly or installation of the apparatus of this invention isfacilitated by reason of the fact that first the interiorly threaded boss t on-the hollow housing I maybe threadedly engaged with the exteriorly threaded pipe I? with the lead-in cable-I8- passed'th-rough the aperture 3 and through-the open end 2 of r the housing I. The ends of the -two "wires forming the lead-in'cable-III-may then beconnected to the terminals I9 and'20 of the standard plug element II which is heldin the hand outside of the hollow housing I but which is mounted within the aperture 9 in the insertmember I whichis also held-in the hand outside'of-the hollow housing I.

After such electrical connections have been made, the insert member I is then inserted through the opening 2 in the outer housing I and slid downwardly thereinto with'thetapered'exterior walls ID of the insert'member I in engagement with the'tapered interior walls of the outer housing I until the bottom 8 of the insert member I contacts the shoulders 8 of the upstanding ribs 5 on the interior surface of the housing I. Generally speaking, whensuch contact is made, the circumferentially spaced locking recesses M will not bein alignment with the upstanding ribs 5. "Therefore the shoulders of the ribs will not be fitted in said recesses 2!. So the insert member I is rotated until such time as the circumferentially spaced recesses-ZI are in alignment with "the circumferentially' spaced shoul .carried by the insert member I.

ders 6 on the upstanding ribs 5, at which time the insert member I will move slightly downward in the housing I until the shoulders 6 will firmly fit within the recesses 2|, thus non-rotatably locking the insert member I with respect to the housing I, and causing contact between outer surfaces of the insert and the inner surface of the housing.

Flange I5 of the reflector lfir is then positioned Within the upper portion of the hollow, cup-like insert member I and the circumferentially spaced, laterally movable screws I4 are laterally, inwardly advanced until they tightly engage and grip the flange I5 of the reflector IS. A lamp bulbi 24 (shown fragmentarily) may then be screwed into the female, screw-type socket II The lamp and reflector .mount is then entirely assembled and installed and ready for use.

Numerous modifications and variations of this idea are possible. For example, the outer housing need not be tapered. The insert member need not be-tapered. The plug element or'lamp base may be mounted with respect to the insert member in any desired manner. The supporting ribs and shoulders thereon may be modified in various ways or dispensed with entirely, if desired. The locking recesses may be modified in various ways, or dispensed with entirely. Other means for gripping the flange of the reflector may be provided. The apertured supporting boss at the base of the housing may be modified in any desired manner and provided with various types of fittings which may or may not be externally or internally threaded for mounting the lamp and reflector mount on different types of supports.

The lamp and reflector mount of this invention (exclusive of the female plug element which is generally exteriorly formed of ceramic or suitable dielectric insulating material and interiorly formed of electrical conducting material) is preferably, although not necessarily formed from metal.

Thus it can be seen that an improved lamp and reflector mount has been provided which is exceedingly easy and simple to assembly and i install and which effectively encloses and protectsthe electrical connections of the lamp.

The examples described and illustrated herein are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention, which is to be interpreted in the light of the appended claims only.

We claim:

1. An improved apparatus for mounting a female screw-type electric lamp base, electric power supply wires therefor, and a reflector, comprising: a hollow, conical interiorly tapered housing member having a large circular opening at one end thereof and an aperture at the other end thereof to admit theelectric power supply wires; a hollow; cup-like insert member 'of'frusto-conical exterior shape adaptedto be inserted into the housing with the interior taper of the housing cooperating with the-exterior taper of the insert member; the interior surface-of the tapered housing having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal ribs provided with supporting shoulders at one end thereof arranged to support the tapered insert member within the housing, said insert member being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses adapted to receive 'thesupporting shoulders whereby the insert memberis-nonrctatably' supported within the housingy-said insert member having an aperture through the base thereof for mounting said lamp base in alignment with the large circular opening in the end of the housing member; ports provided in the insert member; radially advanceable and retractible screw means mounted in the housing adjacent the open end thereof arranged to extend through said ports to releasably engage the flange of the lamp reflector for holding same in position and to lock the insert member within the interior taper of the housing cooperating with the exterior taper of the insert member; the interior surface of the tapered housing having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal ribs provided with supporting shoulders at one end thereof arranged to longitudinally position the tapered insert member within the housing; circumferentially spaced ports in the insert member; radially advanceable and retractible screw means mounted in the housing adjacent the open end thereof in alignment with said ports and extending therethrough to releasably engage the flange of the lamp reflector for holding same in position and to lock the insert member within the housing member.

3. An improved apparatus for mounting a female screw-type electric lamp base, electric power supply wires therefor, and a reflector, comprising: a hollow, conical interiorly tapered housing member having a large circular opening at one end thereof and an aperture at the other end thereof to admit the electric power supply wires; an exteriorly tapered insert member adapted to be inserted into the housing; the interior surface of the tapered housing having a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinal ribs provided with supporting shoulders at one end thereof arranged to support the tapered insert member within the housing; said insert member being provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses adapted to receive the supporting shoulders whereby the insert member is non-rotatably supported within the housing; said insert member 6 being provided with means for mounting said lamp base; circumferentially spaced ports formed in said insert member radially advanceable and retractible screw means mounted in the housing adjacent the open end thereof arranged to extend through said ports to releasably engage the flange of the lamp reflector for holding same in position and to lock the insert member within the housing member.

4. In a lamp mounting, the combination of: a hollow housing provided with an open end, circumferentially spaced ribs formed on the interior surface of the housing extending longitudinally toward the open end and terminating in a transverse plane spaced inwardly from and adjacent to the open end; a hollow, cup-like insert member provided with a bottom wall adapted to nonrotatably carry an electric lamp socket, said insert member having a circumferential wall with an outer surface complementary to the inner surface of said housing between the open end and the ends of said ribs for cooperative sealing engagement with the housing; aligned ports in the wall of the insertmember and the wall of the housing adjacent to said open end; recesses on the bottom wall of the insert member cooperating with ends of said ribs to non-rotatably position the insert member within the housing; and releasable means extending through the aligned ports and radially inwardly for cooperative engagement with a reflector to be mounted in the open end of the housing.

JOSEPH J. MASTERSON. MICHAEL THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Denmark 1933 Number Number 

